


Sunglasses Inside?

by docmatthew



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blind Character, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-18
Updated: 2015-04-24
Packaged: 2018-03-23 13:58:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3770845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/docmatthew/pseuds/docmatthew
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>ADA Rafael Barba has just been transferred to Manhattan Special Victims Unit where he meets Detective Olivia Benson for the first time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sunglasses

The case was done basically, Rafael knew that much. Like he said he could have the defendant convicted of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. He packed his things up and waited for the courtroom to clear out a little bit before leaving his post by the desk. He walked up to the doors and heard someone call out his name.

"Barba." It was Steve Harris.

"Ah. Captain," he walked over to the man. "Is it bring your daughters to work day?" As he said the joke he pulled out his sunglasses and slipped them over his eyes. He must have looked rather smug because he heard a scoff.

"Sunglasses inside, really?" One of the two women said.

Rafael laughed at the remark, thinking the joke was meant sarcastically but then he realized that the joke was serious.

"And what might be a reason for someone to wear sunglasses inside?" There was silences then a sharp intake of breathe.

"Oh...I'm sorry. So sorry." The women sounded horrified.

"You’d better be. So tell me about the damn case because you've already wasted enough time already." Rafael grumbled and unfolded his cane so they could walk out of the courtroom.

"Barba, that was Detective Amanda Rollins, and this is Detective Olivia Benson." Harris supplied for him as they headed for the elevator. 

"You're pretty quiet, Detective Benson. Can you say something so I know which one you are?" He smiled a little in the general direction of the three police officers.

"Yes. You know Adam Cane? He's being accused of rape by Jocelyn Paley." Olivia supplied as they got to the elevator door. 

"The talk show host, and the Twenty-Five Acts author?" Rafael cocked his head to the side as he asked, almost like he couldn't believe it.

"Yes," Detective Benson confirmed for him.

"Alright. High profile. How about you bring me up to speed on this case then, Detective Benson?" Rafael asked as they stepped into the elevator.


	2. Drinks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olivia and Rafael go out for drinks after a successful case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't had this proof read so I'm sorry for any mistakes.

The jury came back just before the end of the day, and Rafael couldn't have been happier. The jury came back with guilty. Rafael and Olivia had put so much into the case and worked so hard to take this case from nothing to a slam dunk. Now Jesse Carter was going away for a very long time, and Jen Hayden would have closure. It was a happy ending that Rafael always aimed for with cases but sometimes doesn't get. The days when he can't get the happy endings weigh on him, but this wasn't one of those days. As the courtroom cleared out Rafael took up his cane and unfolded it with a snap and turned to walk out of the courtroom. Olivia joined him.

"Nice job, Rafael," Olivia told him happily as she caught up with him just outside the courtroom.

"It's all thanks to you and Jen. We wouldn't have a case without you two," Rafael smiled at her and started walking.

"You don't give yourself enough credit," Olivia told him. 

"Or you give me too much. Listen, I was going to go back to my office for a few hours but if you're off then why don't you meet me at Murphy's for a drink around seven?" Rafael was hopeful, but played it cool. 

"Yeah. I get off in a few hours. I could do that. First round on you?" She teased.

"Of course." He grinned at her as they made the plan.

"I'll see you at seven, Rafael." Olivia patted his shoulder and walked the opposite direction.

Smiling to himself Rafael headed back to his office, and quickly did all his paperwork. He wanted to be out of there by seven.

 

+++

 

Rafael was already waiting for Olivia when she came into Murphy's. He had a scotch in front of him, barely drank out of and a smile on his face. Truth was he was thinking about Olivia. They'd been working together for around six months now and he wasn't too sure all his feels were professional. In fact he was rather sure that he had something like a crush on the detective. She came up to him and placed a hand on shoulder as she spoke to him.

"Rafael," she said. "Starting without me?"

"Just a bit," he laughed. "SIt. Drink. Smile. First rounds on me, remember?"

"Alright. Thanks," Olivia waved over Murphy and ordered her drink. "How did the rest of your day go?"

"Good. Finished my paperwork but there will always be more tomorrow." He shook his head.

"Yeah. There is always paperwork," she laughed and took a drink..

For the next few hours the pair chatted away and drank. It was a wonderful night in Rafael's mind. He found he very much enjoyed conversation with her, and found they had a lot to talk about outside of work. They chattered away and around eleven Rafael finally broached the subject that he knew was on her mind.

"So," he started. "When are you going to ask?" He pushed his sunglasses up his nose.

"When are you going to tell me?" She shot back.

"Fair enough. You're about the only person who has wanted to wait for be to tell rather than just bombing me with questions." Rafael admitted.

"If you're willing to tell I'm willing to listen." Olivia offered.

"Okay," he nodded. "Well, I wasn't born blind. I was 13 when it happened." He took a moment to breathe. "I was walking to school with my friend Eddie. Eddie always walked me to school because these gang boys always beat  me up and took my lunch money, so Eddie started walking me to school to protect me. That pissed the gang boys off pretty bad and they decide to get more boys. They first got Eddie, beat him up pretty bad. Then they started in on me. They beat me up. A lot. I was laying on the ground and I was looking at Eddie. He was screaming and trying to break free of the kids hold, but he couldn't. The biggest kid then took my head in hands and bashed it against the ground. Everything's been black since then." He frowned thinking about it, and finished off his scotch. 

"Oh my god," Olivia was in shock. She expected him to say it was a illness or something like that. "That's...terrible. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Rafael shook his head. "It's okay. It took a long time but I've accepted what happened, but I do miss it. Which I'm not suppose to say. They tell you that in therapy."

"What do you miss moth?" She asked softly.

"The sky," he looked down. "What I'd give to see the sky one last time."

"That's...I don't' want to say sorry again." Olivia sounded sad.

"But I'd love to see you. I bet you're beautiful." Rafael said it before thinking.

"Oh." Olivia paused, and Rafael took that pause as a rejection.

"No.  I'm sorry. I didn't mean it-"

"Rafael, it's okay. Thank you."

There was a moment of silence between them.

"Can I ask you something a little weird?" Rafael finally spoke.

"Um...sure," Olivia said hesitantly.

"Can...Can I touch you? See what you look like in a sense?" Rafael was sure he was blushing from the question. 

"Yes, that'd be fine." Olivia answered him quickly.

Rafael nodded and reached his hand out to lightly touch her cheek. His fingers grazed her skin gently. He slid his fingers across her features and felt what she looked like. After a few seconds of this he pulled his hand away.

"I was right," he grinned.

"What?" Olivia asked confused.

"You are beautiful."

**Author's Note:**

> I thought about this when I started watching Netflix's Daredevil. Since Matt Murdock is a blind lawyer I thought I'd make my favourite lawyer blind. I'm very tired so you only get a sneak peak but a real chapter will come tomorrow.


End file.
